Portable house.



PATENTBD SEPTIQB, 1906.

J. A. WALKER, PORTABLE HOUSE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13.1905.

Attorneys Witnesses g i M N .,8a1,8'10. PATENTED SEPT. 25, 1906.

. J.- A. WALKER. 4 PORTABLE HOUSE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 13. 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NITED STATES gil QFFIGE JAMES A. WALKER, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

PORTABLE HOUSE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25,1906.

Application filed October 13, 1905. Serial No. 282,872.

? To all .ujhom it may concern:

' gust, 1905.

The invention patented to meas aforesald had reference mainly to themeans for connecting the sills, uprights, plates, rafters,

' and other timbers entering in the construction ofthe frame and to thepeculiar construction of the flexible wall and roof covering and themeans for attaching the same to the skeleton frame.

The present invention relates to certain improvements in the skeletonframe.

The present invention further consists in improvements in the interiorconstruction of the house, whereby thorough ventilation and sanitationare promoted.

The invention further consists in certain improvements in theconstruction of the ventilating means. 1 v

The invention further consists in the improved construction and novelarrangement and combination of parts, which will be here inafterfullydescribed, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention, it being, however, understood thatno limitationis necessarily-made to the pre cise structural details thereinexhibited, but that changes, alterations, and modifications within'thescope of the invention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of theframework and of the wall-coverings of the improved portable houselooking in the direction of one end of the same. Fig. 2 is an exteriordetail front view of the ventilator. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionalview, enlarged, taken through the ventilator and adjacent parts. asectional detail view showing the contiguous ends of one of the posts oruprights, one

ofthe cross-beams or stringers, and one ofthe rafter-sand the connectingmeans for Fig;' 4 is in section, showing one of the posts or uprights,the rafter and platessupported thereby, and. a ortion-of a door-lintehFig. '6 is a sectiona detail View showing portions of '6a thestringerbeams and their supporting means, together with portions of thebraces. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective detail views of supporting-socketsused in connection with the invention. Fig. 9 is a sectional detail Viewtaken through a part of the flooring.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated throughout bysimilar characters of reference.

The skeleton or framework of the resent invention is composed of a.plurality o transverse members or flooring-sills 1 1, the ends of whichare provided with sockets 2, sup

porting the lower ends of the posts or u rights 3, supportin at theirupper ends t e cross-beams 4, whic latter are provided with notches 5,forming shoulders that abut upon the inner sides of the posts. In saidnotches are secured plates, as 6, (see Fig. 4,) the other ends of whichare bent downward to form hooks 7, engagin the outer sides of the posts,the upper ends of which will thus be confined between the shoulders 8 atthe inner ends of the notches 5 and the hooks 7,730 that they will bebraced against strain in an inward as well as an outward direction.

Secured .to the upper ends of the posts 3 are clips or clevis members 9,having inclined or obliqueupper sides 10, said clevis members being openfor the insertion of the ends of the cross-beams 4, the outerextremities of which are cutoff obliquely, as shown at 1] parallel tothe inclined upper sides of the clevis members. The latter are for thereception of the lower ends of the rafters 12, which are rovided withcut away ends forming shoul ers 13, that abut .u on the upper loo- Theupper endsof the rafters are fitted in angular caps 15,-tl1e sides ofwhich are provided with'laterally-extending socket members 16 forthe'reception of the ends -of the ridge-beams 17, the sides of which are prof"said members. Fig. 5 is an elevation, partly vided with notches 18 forengagement with bents which constitute the plates and which flangesl't),fanning parts of the socket mem lacement. Similar socket members :20 areor'med upon Ithesides of the clevis members 'Qgorthe reception; of theplates 21 which are together 'th the ridge-beams, serve to spacealpartsthe bents, including the bottom sills,

e uprightsgand the rafters, it being'undere stood that anydesired numberof-sluch bentsj ma be included in the complete structure.

v he'cross-beams 4, except those of the end have been specially,designated 4", are -supported from the angular caps by means of verticalrods 22-, extending through apertures 23 saidbeams and; provided withwasher- Elates 2e and nuts 25, whereby the parts may e tightenedtogetherQ Said cross-beams 4 i are provided upon thesides thereof withsupporting-sockets 25, which are of rectangular members. provided withnotches 28, whereby flanges shape and providedfwith laterally-extendingcars 26, having perforations 27 for the pas sage pf :screws or othersuitable fastening The front sides of the sockets are 29 are formed,said-fianges'being adapted for v engagement with notches or kerfs 30 in,

30 v which are, supported 1n Sitlfl sockets and the sides oflongitudinal stringer-beams 31,

which assist materially in spacing and connecting'the bent's. The endsof the stringers 31 are cut off-obliquely, as shown at 32, (see Fig. 6,)toadmit of the insertion within the socket members of diagonal braces 3333, which intersect each other and are gained together, as willbeseen at'34, the upper extremities of said braces abutting upon the sap members15 beneath the laterally-extending sockets 16 upon said cap members.Socket members,-as 35, are secured upon the inner sides of the plates 21and upon the proximate sides of the stringer-beams 31,- said socketmembers being identical with the socket members 25, with the. exceptionthat i' stead of being provided with laterally-perrated ears the backwalls of said socket members are provided with apertures 36 for theassage. of screws or similar fastening -mem ers. These socket membersare for the accommodation of the extremities of shortfhoriz ontalcrossbeams. 37, which are utilized not only for reinforcing the generalconstruction, but also for the purpose of supporting'a horizontalpartition which constitutes a'ceil-ing for the lower portion of thehouse and which may also constitute a flooring for the atticortiomthesides of which are bounded by t e rafters. It is, however, to beunderstood that this horizontal partition may be constructed offlexibleKsuch as textile) material, if preferred, althoughin theaccompanying drawings it has been illustrated as being made up ofsections 38 of ling? retained in position and'which,

' ate. bents of thestructure are provided upon.

canard lighlilfinldng twnl also'be' seen m n .artition does not gt 'dentirewid-thlof he structure, but thatit terminatesat a, dis'- tancefrom thesides or walls where openings eoextend the -entire-length or-forany desired;

' portion ofthe length of strulture'.

The posts or .uprightsj t'iof the.

their proximate sides. near "their upper end species. herein escr'ibedand designated 35 side partof a window-casing, (designated res'ectively, 42 and 43.) The door-frame inc udes postsl le, the upper endsof which are provided with tenons 45, engaging -mort'ises in the lintel.The door and windowcasings maybe of any desiredconstruction, andwindows, as 46, may be arranged adjacent to the door, as it is notdesirable that the latter should be of extreme widthl These details,

termedi-Q.

for the'receptioliandisu' Port of-lint'el beams 41, which onj one side-'0 the building constitute part of'a door-frame and on the other phowever, are of no particular importance, the

essential feature of this part of the invention residing inthe'disposition'of the lintel at a sufficient distance below the plateto enable the door to swing clear of the eaves.

' The side walls of the building are composed of textile material, as47, the same being out to conform to the ends of the building,includknown manner. The lower edges of the sidev portions of the flexible wallmembers, as in my previous patent above referred to, are

provided with hems 50, within which are ing the gables, and to the sidesbelow the eaves,

placed-strips 51, adapted to engage recesses near the lower ends of theuprights 3, where said strips are securedby means of wedges 52 driven inthe outer extremities of the sockets 2. Under the present invention,however,

the ends of the wall members 47 are provided with hems 53, in whichare-placed strips 54,- which are drawn tightxadjacent to the'inner sidesof the posts 3,-that'support the lintel members 41, the sockets'35 beingrovided in their under sides-withslots 55 fort e reception of the upperends of the strips 54, which' will thus-be firmly secured and serve tohold the flexible wall members tight/and taut.

'.The end bent of the structure has a reinters 12, with which saiduprights are suitably connected, as by means oif-tenons engagingmortises in the platejand the rafters. Extending horizont-allythroughthe upright 57 is a hinge-rod 58, upon which-is mounted a frame 59,which is'exteriorly covered with. flexible material 60,havingnverlapping side andbottom flaps 61, that overlap the edges offorcing-upright 56, and a pair of upri hts 57 extend between the endplate 4 and t e rafdoubled iipon itse an opem'n which is cut in thegable portionof the wal material, said opening being reinforce'd at itssides and lower edges by binding 62, asbe'st seen in Fig. 2 of thedrawings.

;-The fla'p or tongue 63, of material which is cut out n order to formthe opening, is detached at the'sides and lpwer edge only and remains.

attached at. the/upper edge, said flap being upwardly and inwardly, asshown at'64, -(see Fig. 3,) andthence passed over the up er edge of theframe 59, to which it is secure by means including a screw-eye The freeextremity of the flap is provided with a hem 66, in which is placed awei ht rod 67, whicli'holds the free extremity of t a flap loosely inengagement with the innerside of the fraine. The side flaps 61 of thecovering 60 of the frame are notched or .sl'as'hed at 68 adjacent to theupper edge of the openinhginthe end wall, thus combining with the p63'to form a dust and water proofgoint which permits the frame to beopene" by swinging it upon the pivotal rod 58 bysmeans of an operatingrope or element "'69, which has been shown as attached to the screw-eye65.

- A frame 70, covered with foraminous material, such as wire-netting 71,has been shown supported against the inner sides of the up rights 57,the latter being provided with hooks or catches 73, whereby said screenis retained in position. The wei hted extremity of the flap 63 abutsupon t e screen and coepcrat es with the latter to form an insectroof'clgsiire when the ventilating-frame 59 is thrown 0 en to the positionshown in dotted lines in i ig. 3. 4

The flooring-sills 1 1 of the improved struc ture are provided withlongitudinal notches or-recesses 74 for. the reception of the endsofhook-plates 75, which are secured upon the under sides of theflooring-sections 76, which are supported upon the flooring-sills withtheir ends abutting upon each other. These flooring members materiallyassist in spacing and connecting the lower ends of'the bents,

and it is desired to be understood that the the operation and advantagesof this inven tionwill be readily understood by those skilled in the artlJUWhiChflt appertains. By this m- "vention there is provided a portablehouse or camping-lodge of very simple and inexpensive construction,which is capable of being packed for transportation in small oom ass,

and which may be erected by'uns'killed abor I in a few hours time at anyplace where it may be desired to so ourn.' A very important advantage.of the present inventionfl r'sides in.

thefact that an attic is providedjfahiive the living apartment and thatventilatidn of a most thorough nature may be eifected'through l theventilating devices, one of which itis'intended to use at each gableend, although but one has been shown in the drawings,

which represent only one end .of the hoiise.

will. escape freely through the ventilatingopenings. When the horizontalpartition is formed of planking, the attic will form a convenientstorage-place for trunks and the like.

While in the accompanying drawings no roof has been shown for thestructure, it is to be understood that a roof of flexible material is tobe provided, said roof being constructed on the lines laid down inmyprevious patent,

to which reference has been made.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1..In aportable building, a frame including a plurality of .bents suitablyspaced and connected, lintel-supporting sockets upon the posts ofadjacent bents'said sockets being pro" vided with slots in their undersides, and a flexible wallcovering. stretched u on and suitablyconnected with one end of t e build ing and having terminal hems andstiffeningstrips in said hems the latter bein bent around thelintel-carrying posts and t e upper ends of the stiffening-stripsengaging the slots in the lintel-supporting sockets.

2. A portable knockdown frame including rafters forming gable ends, incombination with a flexible wall-covering for one end and part of thesides of said frame; said frame including a pair of spaced uprights atthe gable end, and a ventilatorfra'me hinged between said uprights; andsaid wall-covering having an opening with a flap attached at the upperedge thereof, and said flap doubled upon itself and extended over andattached to the ven tilator-frame.

3, A frame including a pair of uprights, a

flaps its sides and lower edge, a wall-cover-v In testiinonfthat I claimthe feregoinges 'ilig having .q'n. opening re isteringv with the myown Ihave heretoeffixed my signature in 10 ptiiyotetg mgm, sen-attache flapat 1311116 upper the'presence of.;-two'witnesses'.

e' go 0 sai opening having a weig t at its 1 5 free'edgesaid flap beingdoubled upon itself E and' ever the npper, edge of the frame, andWitnesses:

} means cpnnectmgsalid weighted fla with-the v E. M. SWAN;

. fmme. B.H.GIARRETT.

